Admittedly, this is a hypocritical topic for me to write about. I’m the first to tell you that I don’t like limits, especially the speed type. But, as I sit here listening to a record (yes, an actual vinyl disc thingy that’s spinning on a turntable) it’s gotten me thinking about some things, like limits.
A record is about 45 minutes long, which is a physical limitation of the medium. As an artist making a record you had to be aware of that limitation from the very beginning. So dig this, it’s really cosmic man (sorry kids — the record is from the early seventies and the hippie dialect is bubbling to the surface): If a guitar solo is really long in one song, for instance, the whole record can be affected — another song is going to have to be edited, shifted in order to fit on the other side, or dropped altogether in favor of a shorter song that will fit on the record.
The artist has to be tuned into the big picture, which is that he or she is making a record and not just putting a bunch of songs on a shiny 80-minute CD. I think this is one of the reasons why there are so many great records; the limits of the medium really forced artists to make the best out of the 45 minutes they were allotted, instead of the now-all-too-common shoulder shrugging comment, “put them both on there — if they don’t like it, they’ll skip over it.”
Wait! There’s more! Let’s take a look at limits while recording. First of all, this whole “unlimited track count” thing has been rubbing me raw for a long time. What’s wrong with 24 tracks? No, this isn’t the typical “The Beatles recorded on a four track” argument — that’s lame, and here’s why: 1) they’re the Beatles — they could’ve called the radio station and sang a song onto the answering machine and it would have been a hit; 2) everyone else at the time (who could afford it) was recording on a four track, too — it wasn’t some back-to-nature hippie thing; and 3) a four track was four times the number of tracks previously available to artists.
Article comments
1 - Marc
This article was written by Chris Mara. Chris is a producer that frequents the gulf coast quite often. To check him out, go to chrismara.com
2 - Joan Hunt
I really appreciate this insight, Marc. I've often wondered what happens in the studio and how songs are selected. I also admire your choice to not over-edit.
One of my favorite artists (Joe Bonamassa) is very much about the raw product and likes to keep his music as spontaneous and pure as possible. It's apparent in his product without seeming like it was just slapped together. Sure, it helps that he's a very talented and "clean" guitarist, but he also surrounds himself with excellent musicians and producers.
Understanding what's essential and what's not is something more producers need to learn. Sounds like you get it. I hope your artists appreciate your obvious skill.
By the way, I kind of like cowbell. Will you still respect me in the morning?
3 - Vern Halen
Having the luxury of doing home recording has enabled me to overplay/overproduce stuff, but it always comes down to cutting back & working within limits - most times, less IS more.